Of Leaves and Flowers
by Sakaki's Little Sis1
Summary: Neji has never exactly been the loving type. And when TenTen looks at Naruto flirting with Hinata so openly, she wishes Neji would do the same. Can the Hyuuga change anything? NejiTen, NaruHina, OneShot


Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Pairings: TenNeji, some HinaNaru

This has no plotline. Don't ask me why they're raking leaves. They just are.

IIIII

The group consisted of: Naruto, Hinata, TenTen, and Neji. A diverse group of teens and pre-teens who never really thought they would be working together but in some messed up way they did. Then again, Hinata was just glad to be working with Naruto, and vice-versa.

"I don't know WE got stuck with this lame job!" complained Naruto as he picked up a rake and looked towards the hill covered with leaves.

"I-It's all right Naruto...it can't be...that bad..." Hinata said shyly taking her own rake and handing one to TenTen who nodded in a 'thank you' way.

"This is below me," muttered Neji as he picked up his rake. "But I supposed that if it has to be done it has to be done."

"Now that's a better attitude. Now let's this done already," TenTen urged her 'team' ahead.

The four started raking leaves. They didn't know how this would help them in making them great ninja's but they guessed it was supposed to help them. Not greatly but just a bit.

Though Naruto was getting bored. VERY bored. And he needed something/someone to help surpass that boredom.

"Oi, Hinata!" chirped Naruto and the young Hyuuga came over with a slight blush. The blonde reached down and took a bunch of leaves then threw them at the girl.

"Eee!" she squealed and jumped back.

Naruto laughed playfully. "What? Are you scared that bugs are in the leaves?"

"N-No..." she said.

Naruto threw another pile of leaves in her direction and she squeaked again, moving backwards.

"Oi, don't play! Rake!" ordered Neji angrily as he caught them goofing around.

"Don't worry. I'll protect you from any bugs," Naruto whispered than continued raking leaves into a small pile he had just started.

Hinata blushed not sure what to say to that. So she took her shaking hands and started to rake herself. She had a very large crush on the boy but had never been able to get enough courage to actually tell him. Now here Hinata was playing with him, smiling at eachother, and he was even helping her rake some leaves since he got his pile large enough.

"Oi, why don't you help me like he's helping her?" TenTen asked Neji randomly.

Neji looked at Naruto who was awfully close to his cousin, helping her rake leaves into her pile. He sort of scowled at the site but let it go. He didn't answer her question seeing as if he didn't have to.

"Hmph. Fine. Don't talk to me," TenTen said and began to rake again.

"If you want an answer it's because you are able to do it fine on your own."

"Well yes but it would be a nice sentiment."

"If I did you would probably say you could do it on your own and that I would be belittling your strength or something of that sort."

TenTen stopped and put a hand on her hip. "It's all in the way you say it. If you say 'Just let me do it' than I would think it's because you think I'm so weak. If you say 'Here, let me help you' I would be flattered. You know when two people enter a relationship I would think the guy would treat his lady with respect."

"I do respect you," Neji defended. "I'm just the touchy type. At all. Besides I can't do anything in front of these guys."

"Naruto doesn't seem to mind it at all. You aren't ashamed, are you?" She sounded more worried than accusing.

Neji let out a small sigh. "No. I'm not. Now lets just get back to raking, alright?"

TenTen frowned a bit. She had been hoping for more of a loving response but this WAS Neji she was talking about. He had about as much love was a pile of rocks and his ego was sky high. Though somehow there was something deep inside that she could see that she really liked about him.

After a while she had confessed her feelings and he said he 'sort of felt the same way'. What had he meant by that? Sort of? It was either a mutual feeling or he didn't have any. She was beginning to feel ignored and that he didn't really like her at all - always treating her like a bothering teammate rather than a girlfriend. She decided to just put that aside for now and maybe talk to him later.

With Hinata and Naruto things were going pretty smoothly. Naruto was a jabber-jaw, talking to her about nothing in particular, letting her get in the occasional nod here and there. She was much to shy to say anything. Of course she had the urge to say something but she was afraid that he wouldn't feel the same way. Would he? It would be very depressing if he would reject her.

_You never know until you try_, she told herself. _Maybe I should just ask how much he likes me?_

"Umm...N-Naruto?" Hinata asked nervously. Her hands gripped around tightly of the pole of the rake.

"Yes?" He stopped raking to pay attention to her.

"H-How much...d-do you like...me?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

He cocked his head to the side in confusion. What was THAT supposed to mean? Being Naruto he was a bit confused about the question.

"What do you mean, Hinata?" He asked.

"I...I don't know. Just fo-forget it."

Naruto watched as she put her head down in shame, blushing like a red tomato. He stood next to her and smiled.

"Hinata? Can I tell you something?"

She nodded softly.

"I do like you."

She lifted her head up a bit, looking at his sincere face.

"I like you a lot," He added.

Hinata's eyes widened as he tackled her to the ground into the pile of leaves behind her. The two were engulfed in a mix of yellow and brown leaves but Naruto remained on top of her with a playful smile. Hinata was sure that she would burst.

"OI!" shouted Neji and marched over. "What do you two think you are doing?"

Naruto rolled over to the side and they looked up at the enraged older Hyuuga. "Just playing," answered Naruto and he winked at Hinata.

"Did I say no playing? You two are such children!" he barked.

"I-I'm sorry Neji..." apologized Hinata as he sat up.

"We're almost done over there and I can see that you two have been productive yourselves. Now lets get this done so we can go home," He advised and the two younger ninja's nodded.

Neji walked back over to TenTen who was smiling. "What are you so happy about?"

"Oh, just that it's cute to see puppy love," she admitted.

"What are you talking about? They're just friends."

"Whatever you say."

"Wait. You can't just end it there. Tell me, are they in a relationship or something? Is Hinata dating him?"

"Geesh. You talk as if your her older brother or something," TenTen rolled her eyes as his 'older brother' behavior.

"As a Hyuuga-"

"I know. I know. Don't freak out about it," she told him. "Just a hint that they really like eachother. She always is blushing around him and can't look him in the eye. And Naruto... he's kind of hard to read but he did just tackle her to the ground in quite a weird position."

"Don't remind me," he snapped.

_Sometimes I'd wish he'd be that nice with me. He never shows me his affection_, TenTen sadly thought as she finished of her job.

Neji raked his final time and looked down at the ground. A single small dandelion was laying there. He picked it up and looked at TenTen. Really he did have feelings for her he just wasn't so good at expressing them. He could tell she was fed up with his attitude but he couldn't help it - It was just who he was.

He put the flower in his pocket and set his rake down. He called out to Hinata and Naruto who were talking to eachother, "Are you two done?"

"Yes!" Naruto said.

Hinata nodded and looked at Naruto. "N-Naruto? Umm...w-would you..."

"Go out to dinner tonight at the Ramen shop?" He finished it off.

It hadn't been quite been what she was thinking but she was just happy that she was going with Naruto.

"Let's get out of here. I'm hot!" TenTen stretched her arms and started walking with Neji towards the town.

Neji said, "TenTen? Stop."

She sighed and looked at him, stopping in her tracks, "What? Did I do something wrong?"

"No," He dug into his pocket and handed her the flower. "Here."

TenTen's eyes widened and she smiled. "I-Is this for me?"

"Well duh," He spat. But than he added quickly, "O-Of course. You are...my girlfriend. And I know that I don't treat you well as I should and...ugh, you get what I'm saying, don't you?"

"You never were good with apologies," She said and wrapped him into an unsuspecting hug. "Thank you Neji. You don't know how much this means to me."

Neji rubbed her back, noticing the flower was still in his hand. He reached up and put it in behind her ear. He was glad that he finally got things set straight that he did enjoy her company a lot. She really was the only one that would put up with his attitude.

_Maybe raking leaves wasn't really about raking leaves but to bring us closer together? No. That'd be giving the sensei's to much credit,_ he thought as he and TenTen decided to stay for a bit longer and admire the sunset.

IIIII

Just a bit of fluff that I had to get out. Please review! It's my first try at a TenNeji or a HinaNaru so please be easy on me.


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